The Ways Of God
The Ways Of God
His ways are higher than our ways.
Jesus was the Way
The early Christians were referred to as followers of the Way
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man. . . .
There is a broad way and a narrow way.
Show me your ways . . .
Made known your ways to Moses
Exodus 33:7 ¶ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting". Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.
8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.
9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.
10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to his tent.
11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
12 ¶ Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, `Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, `I know you by name and you have found favour with me.'
13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."
14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."
We can spend our lives as strangers to God and then expect to live with him forever. Depart from me – I never knew you.
Psalm 25
Ps 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
Ps 103:7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
Ps 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving towards all he has made.
Pr 14:12 ¶ There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Pr 16:2 ¶ All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Pr 16:7 ¶ When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
Pr 16:17 ¶ The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.
Pr 16:25 ¶ There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Pr 21:2 ¶ All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Isa 35:8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. {Or the simple will not stray from it}
Isa 55:9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.
Isa55:1 ¶ "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendour."
6 ¶ Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
He lifts the lowly and resists pride and self-sufficiency in any form.
He refuses to be predictable. Part of human nature is to reduce God to a cause and effect sort of relationship. We want to know what we have to do in order to get God to perform.
He writes in characters too grand
For our short sight to understand;
We catch but broken strokes, and try
To fathom all the mystery
Of withered hopes, of death, of life,
The endless war, the useless strife --
But there, with larger, clearer sight,
We shall see this -- His way was right.
See: Prov 19:21; Rom 8:28; 1 Cor 13:12
Light after darkness, gain after loss;
Strength after weakness, crown after cross;
Sweet after bitter, hope after fears;
Home after wandering, praise after tears;
Sheaves after sowing, sun after rain;
Sight after mystery, peace after pain;
Joy after sorrow, calm after blast;
Rest after weariness, sweet rest at last;
Near after distant, gleam after gloom;
Love after loneliness, life after tomb;
After long agony, rapture of bliss;
Right was the pathway, leading to this.
See: 2 Cor 4:17; 1 Pet 1:3-4
GOD KNOWS
When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless efforts
. . .God knows how hard you have tried.
When you've cried so long and your heart is in anguish. . .
God has counted your tears.
If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you
by. . .God is waiting with you.
When you're lonely and your friends are too busy even for a
phone call. . .God is by your side.
When you think you've tried everything and don't know
where to turn. . .God has a solution.
When nothing makes sense and you are confused or
frustrated. . .God has the answer.
If suddenly your outlook is brighter and you find traces of
hope. . .God has whispered to you.
When things are going well and you have much to be
thankful for. . .God has blessed you.
When something joyful happens and you are filled with
awe. . .God has smiled upon you.
When you have a purpose to fulfill and a dream to
follow. . .God has opened your eyes and called you
by name.
Remember that wherever you are or whatever you are
facing . . .GOD KNOWS.
- By: Kelly D. Caron
We say, not lightly but very literally, that the truth has made us free. They say that it makes us so free that it cannot be the truth. To them it is like believing in fairyland to believe in such freedom as we enjoy. It is like believing in men with wings to entertain the fancy of men with wills. It is like accepting a fable about a squirrel in conversation with a mountain to believe in a man who is free to ask or a God who is free to answer. This is a manly and a rational negation, for which I for one shall always show respect. But I decline to show any respect for those who first of all clip the bird and cage the squirrel, rivet the chains and refuse the freedom, close all the doors of the cosmic prison on us with a clang of eternal iron, tell us that our emancipation is a dream and our dungeon a necessity; and then calmly turn round and tell us they have a freer thought and a more liberal theology.
... G. K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man
For anyone going through a hard time--financially, in your marriage, relationship wise, emotionally, with family, whatever......
The will of God will never take you,
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.
"Everything happens for a purpose. We may not see the wisdom of it all now but trust and believe in the Lord that everything is for the best."
The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.
Author Unknown
Dear God,
Why didn't you save the school children in Littleton, Colorado, and now a six year old in Mt. Morris, Michigan?
Sincerely,
Concerned Student
AND THE REPLY:
Dear Concerned Student,
I am not allowed in schools.
Sincerely,
God